Ok this is what I suspected from your description. I'm not exactly sure who or how this hibernation method came to be known but I have recieved alot of emails over the years regarding it and it's usually fatal outcome.



Bear in mind that while tegus do hibernate in the wild they burrow themselves deep into the ground. Deep in these underground chambers the temperatures stay a fairly constant temps. From what I understand these temps range in the 70F-80F generally. So even wild tegus are not exposed to prolonged, potentially fatal low temps of sub-60F.



Make no mistake that ALL tegus are tropical reptiles and as such cannot withstand prolonged, cold temperatures. Even the most cold tolerant form of tegu, the southern Argentine B&W tegu, cannot withstand this.



Now I have heard the argument "Well Bert Langerwerf keeps his outdoors in Alabama and his cages can be covered with snow". Yes this is very true, however, Bert's cages are cleverly designed to take full advantage of natural heat and he also digs his cages in below the ground. Thus his hibernating tegus will be much warmer down in the safety of their holes and not exposed to direct cold temperatures. Being in South Florida I get away with underground, heated, hide boxes. None of my hibernating tegus are allowed to dip below 70F.



Basically the method you are employing "forces" the tegus to do something that they may not be ready to do and exposes them to prolonged and usually fatal temperatures. Even tegus maintained indoors and kept at constant temperatures will still "know" when its time to hibernate and usually requires nothing on your part. When they are ready they will simply stop feeding and rarely come out of their hiding box. No extremes or manipulation is required. All reptiles are very sensitive to even slight variations in temps and even the most controlled of atmosphere's will still be effected by seasonal changes.



They will hibernate in their regular enclosure when they are ready. It's just that simple.



Ron St Pierre
RSCBR

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